Words are Powerful

            Once Liesel has mastered the skill of reading, she comes to the realization that words are capable of being weapons that can lead people to commit acts of cruelty. She also begins to understand that Hitler’s propaganda is the root of his power and that his oratory manipulation is one of the reasons why her mother, brother and father have died. Max, who has understood this lesson for the majority of his life, helps teach it to Liesel by writing a story which parallels the world in which the Hubermann’s live in. Although Max claims that the story is slightly childish for a girl Liesel’s age, it still tells a valuable message to both her and the reader. In Max’s story titled The Word Shaker, Max writes about how Hitler uses the power of words to brainwash Germany to turn against the Jewish people, however a young girl who truly understands the meaning of words defies him through words of love and compassion. Later, when Liesel is given a book by a lady named Ilsa Hermann, the mayor’s wife, she shows her understanding of this lesson by writing her own story, ending it with the line “I have hated the words, and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right” (Page 528). This quote shows that Liesel has grasped the concept of the impact of the power of words and shows that she wishes to use her words for compassionate reasons, rather than harmful ones, so that she can make the words “right.”

            This quote is important to the story because it confirms Liesel’s positive stance on the impact of words and reveals that she wants to use them for good, rather than for evil reasons. This quote is important to me because it tells me that there is a good way to say things, and a bad way. It teaches me that one should choose what we say carefully because if you change the words, you are capable of changing the world and how others view it.

            This quote is connected to today’s society because today, people do not understand how meaningful or hurtful words can be. For example, I’ve heard people time and time again tell me that “hate” is such a terribly strong word and that I shouldn’t use it. However, if the word “hate” is such a meaningful word, why do humans toss the word “love” around like its nothing? To me, both are meaningful words and I only use the words “hate” and “love” with the utmost care. Some people’s attitudes towards specific words today reflect how ignorant and hypocritical people can be.